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United tops Chelsea in PKs to win Champions League

Wed 21st, May 2008

Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs scored in the seventh round of penalty kicks and Edwin van der Sar made his only save on Chelsea's next attempt for a 6-5 shootout victory in a historic all-English Champions League final at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored United's goal during the 1-1 match, was the only United player to miss his penalty kick but was let off the hook when Chelsea captain John Terry slipped in the pouring rain and missed the clinching shot.

After Terry's miss, United's Anderson and Giggs converted their shots and Van der Sar made his only save on Nicolas Anelka's attempt.

Manchester United, which edged Chelsea to win the Premier League, captured its third Champions League title. United also won in 1968 and 1999.

Chelsea, which forced overtime on Frank Lampard's goal in the 45th minute, has never won the Champions League.

The Blues' first title within reach after Michael Ballack, Juliano Belletti, Lampard and Ashley Cole converted four straight penalties - and Ronaldo missed - to give Terry the chance to score the winning penalty.

But the captain's plant foot slipped out from under him just before he kicked the ball and it sailed wide right - Van der Sar dove toward the other post.

It was a fitting ending for Chelsea, which hit the post late in regulation and the crossbar in overtime.

Carlos Tevez, Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves and Luis Nani scored United's first four PKs. Salomon Kalou converted in the sixth round of penalties for Chelsea before Giggs scored and Van der Sar made his lone save.

After a sluggish opening 25 minutes, Ronaldo changed the pace of the match in the 26th when he scored on the first shot by either side.

United veteran Paul Scholes, who had blood on his face after a collision with Chelsea's Claude Makelele, and Wes Brown made three quick passes off a throw- in to set up a cross from Brown that led to the goal.

Brown crossed to an open Ronaldo, who jumped to head the ball just inside the left post. Ronaldo's first-ever goal against Chelsea was also his 42nd of the season.

Chelsea missed a chance to tie the game off the restart when Ballack shot high but he followed with a better chance in the 34th minute.

Chelsea's Didier Drogba set up the chance with a short header from the right side of the area. United's Rio Ferdinand was in position to clear, but Ballack knocked him out of the way to head the ball on goal and force Van der Sar to make his best save of regulation.

Chelsea goalie Petr Cech matched Van der Sar with two great saves less than a minute later on shots from United's Tevez and Carrick.

Tevez's chance was off a cross from Ronaldo, but his diving header from just a few yards out was knocked down by Cech. Terry got a small touch on the ball to clear it to the top of the area but Carrick found the loose ball and Cech made another save.

United wasted another chance to grab a two-goal lead in the 43rd minute when a cross by Wayne Rooney sneaked by Chelsea's Michael Essien but Tevez was unable to get a touch on the ball to knock it into an open net.

Terry earned a free kick just outside the area in the 44th minute but Ballack couldn't get the ball to dip over the wall and it sailed well high.

Chelsea took advantage of its last chance of the opening half to tie the score on Lampard's goal. Essien took a shot that deflected twice and went to Lampard inside the area.

Lampard slipped the ball between Van der Sar and Ferdinand, who were closing in from opposite directions and both just missed deflecting the shot.

Chelsea was more dangerous to open the second half and had two chances to pull in front 10 minutes into the half. Essien fired high on an open shot from just outside the area in the 55th minute and Ballack shot wide on a long effort in the 57th.

United started to gain more possession midway through the half and two corners set up its best scoring chances in the second. The Premier League champions failed to get a shot off on either corner, though.

Drogba was quiet for much of the match, but he started to come to life in the 78th minute when he came within inches of putting Chelsea in front. Drogba hit the outside of the right post on a shot that was out of reach of a diving Van der Sar.

Giggs entered in the 87th minute, replacing the bloody Scholes, to break Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time record for appearances with United with 759.

Ronaldo set up one final chance for United in stoppage time but his cross went over Rooney's head and rolled out of bounds before Giggs could to get to the ball at the far post.

Chelsea hit the frame again early in overtime when Lampard came about an inch away from scoring his second goal. Chelsea moved the ball well on the left and Ballack passed on a shot from the top of the area to set up Lampard's chance.

Lampard turned to shoot with his left foot and, although the shot beat Van der Sar, it hit off the bottom of the crossbar and bounced out in the 94th minute.

Giggs nearly added to his historic night in the 100th minute when he was close to scoring the game winner. Off a short pass from Patrice Evra, Giggs fired on goal with Cech out of position but Terry headed the ball wide.

Tevez followed with another golden chance for United on a blast from the left side in 102nd minute that ended up right in the in the chest of Cech.

Anelka, a substitute, set up Chelsea's best chance in double overtime with a long run that resulted in a foul and free kick from 26 yards. Drogba blasted the shot just wide of the right post in the 112th minute.

Drogba was ejected minutes later after a scrum involving nearly every player. He lightly slapped the face of United's Nemanja Vidic to earn the red card - and Chelsea lost one of its best penalty kick takers with just minutes left. Ballack and Tevez also received yellow cards during the melee.

United wasn't couldn't take advantage of the extra man over the final minutes and the match went to the memorable shootout.